The collection of blood from a patient or infusion into a patient are two of the most commonly performed medical procedures in the world. Blood collection is necessary in order to evaluate the chemical constituency of the bodily functions in order to diagnose medical conditions and to validate treatment plans and infusion is necessary to deliver pharmaceuticals, ringers or other preparations in liquid form. Notwithstanding the foregoing, injuries caused by needles and other sharp medical devices and the related risk of potentially fatal disease transmission remain a major threat to the health and safety of health care workers around the world. In addition, the distress, sickness and absenteeism resulting from sharps injuries constitute a considerable strain on the already limited human resources in the medical profession.
The majority of sharps injuries are suffered by nurses and occur in patient rooms and the operating theatre, but doctors, dentists and other medical staff are also victims. Ancillary staff such as cleaners and laundry staff and other downstream workers, are also at risk.
The term “needle stick” injury has come to be the term used to describe inadvertent penetration of the skin by a previously used, contaminated catheter, needle or other percutaneous device. A combination of training, safer working practices and the use of medical devices incorporating needle stick protection technology can prevent many of these potentially serious injuries.
The U.S. Congress took action in response to growing concerns over blood borne pathogen exposures from sharps injuries and in response to recent technological developments that increased employee protection. On Nov. 6, 2000, the “Needle Stick Safety and Prevention Act” was signed into law, requiring that all health care facilities in the U.S. evaluate, purchase and provide medical devices incorporating needle protection for their staff. Health care employers in the U.S. are also now required to maintain a sharps injury log and involve non-managerial potentially exposed health care workers in the evaluation and implementation of work practice controls and devices incorporating needle protection.
Thus, safe disposal of sharp medical instruments, such as scalpel blades and syringe needles has become an important issue, addressed at the highest level of the U.S. government, due to the possible transmission of disease by accidental skin-penetrating contact during disposal of sharp medical instruments, commonly known as “medical sharps.”
There are several scenarios that describe the accidental needle stick injury: First, a handler may be stuck by a syringe needle while attempting to re-cap the needle after it has been used. Second, a handler may be stuck by a syringe needle while transporting it to a proper “Sharps Container.” Third, a handler or other individuals may be stuck when contacting a syringe and needle that has been left unprotected and unattended. Fourth, individuals that transport medical waste may be stuck by unprotected, uncapped or improperly stored syringes and needles.
In general, it is considered “unsafe” to re-cap a syringe needle due to the extreme possibility that the handler will be stuck by the needle while re-capping and the present invention presents an improved safety system for preventing sharps injuries in connection with blood collection sets.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved I.V. infusion or blood collection apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved I.V. infusion or blood collection apparatus having enhanced safety features.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved I.V. infusion or blood collection apparatus that is easy to use and inexpensive to produce.
These and other objects will become apparent when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.